Air-brake hose-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

J. R. BRAGG & J. M. MOYERS. AIR BRAKE HOSE UOUPLING.

No. 593,531. I Patented Nov. 9,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. BRAGG AND JAMES M. MOYERS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

AIR-BRAKE HOSE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,531, dated November 9, 1897. Application filed January 26, 1897. Serial No. 620,831- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES R. BRAGG and JAMES M. MoYEns, citizens of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of IIenrico and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air- Brake Hose-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to air-brake hoseeouplings especially adapted for employment in that class of air-brake systems wherein the brakes are applied by an exhaust or escape of air from within the brake-pipes, whether by accident or design. 5

It is one of the principal objects of the inventionto provide the hose-couplings with an improved valve in which, through a leak-aperture or vent-opening therein,the valve, tho ugh automatically closed by disconnection of the coupling-heads, will yet permit a gradual escape of air sufficient to cause the brakes to be applied gradually on such cars of the rear detached portions of the train as may be fitted with air-brake appliances, thus bringing the detached cars to a stop without such-sudden shock, jar, and possible injury as would be likely to occur from a rapid loss of air, while in the meantime the gradual escape of air from the vent of the valve in the disconnected coupling-head on the rear end of the forward portion of the train in connection with the engine will be overcome by the action of the pump, so that there will be no reduction of pressure in the forward portion of the brake system sufficient to apply the brakes in that forward part of the train. Therefore no rear collision can occur on account of the accidental disconnection of coupling-heads fitted with our improved valve, and, furthermore, an important advantage is secured in that by reason of the very gradual loss of air from the brake-pipes on the rear detached cars the brakes thereon will be applied without sudden or dangerous shock or any liability of derailing or breaking the cars, damaging lading, and crippling men.

Another object of our invention has in view the provision of novel means for effecting a looking back of the valve in a coupling-head, so that the valved coupling-head may be operatively connected, if desired, with a coup ling-head of the same character or style now used, but having no valve.

Other purposes of the invention will hereinafter appear with reference to the construction and combination of parts, as described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinally and horizontally sectional View of the improved air-brake coupling-head, showing the valve looked back from its seat. Fig. 2 is a vertically-transverse section of the same, showing the valve closed onto its seat and provided with a vent or leak opening. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the coupling-head with valve and cap or cover removed. Fig. 4 is a view of the cap for closing one side of the hosecoupling head. Fig. 5 shows in perspective the gasket or valve-seat, the valve, with its vent, its weighted locking projection, and its spring, and the guide frame or cage for said valve.

The coupling-head 1 is preferably of the general shape, character, and dimensions commonly in use, so as to adaptit to couple with those ordinarily employed in air-brake systems. One end of this coupling is in the form of a pipe or nozzle 2, that is constructed for attachment of the hose connection of the brake-pipe. In the inner side of the coupling-head, which is to mate with a fellow of similar form, is a circular opening 3, in which a rubber gasket 4 is to seat. The inner side or edge of this gasket is constructed with an annular flange 5, that preferably constitutes the valve-seat.

The hollow coupling-head 1 receives,

through a circular opening 6 in its outer side, a guide frame or cage 7, in which the valve 8 is placed. One end of this guide-frame 7 is in the form of an annulus 9, that rests against flange 5, and on the periphery of this annulus 9 is a lug 10 to fit into a recess 11 in an internally-flanged portion 12 of the coupling-head, and thus prevent the guide-frame 7 from turning. The other end of'the guide-frame 7 consists of a disk 13, that is centrally perforated for passage of the valve-stem 14, surrounding which is a spring 15, having its ends bearing against the valve 8 and said disk 13 and serving to normally close the said valve against its seat, as shown in Fig. 2. The sides of the ject through the annularvalve-seat when the v valve is closed. When two coupling-heads are brought together in the usual manner for coupling, the wings 18 of opposing valves will exert on each other a mutual pressure that will force the valves back and hold them open as long as the integrity of the coupling is maintained, so that communication is thus established between the two heads'and the brake-pipes that they connect. Whenever the coupling-heads are disconnected, whether by accident or design, the valves 8 will be immediately closed by action of their springs and the air-pressure in the main pipes.

There is formed in and through each valvebody 8 a leak opening or vent 19 of suitable capacity to permit the escape through the closed or seated valve of a sufficient volume of air to bring about a gradual application of the brakes by reduction of air-pressure in the brake-pipes. It is evident that should a break or accidental disconnection of cou plingheads occur at any part of the air-brake systern the valves 8 would be relieved from the mutual pressure that holds them open and would consequently close at once under the expansive force of their springs and theairpressure in the main pipe. A gradual-escape of air would now take place through the vent opening 19 in the valves 8 of the disconnected coupling-heads. This gradual escape of air at the valve-vent in the coupling-head on the rear end of the forward portion of the train connected with the engine would be quickly, easily, and fully overcome by the action of the air-pump, and consequently in the forward portion of the air-brake system there would be no reduction of air-pressure sufficient to apply the brakes. Therefore in the forward or main section of the train to which the engine is attached the brakes would remain off and this section could proceed on its way and maintain a safe distance from the rear detached portion of the train, so that there would be no danger of a rear-end collision from the detached cars; but as the separation of the coupling-heads would at once disconnect the rear detached cars from the .pump pressure there could be no renewal of air .in the rear detached portion of the airbrake system, and consequently the reduction of pressure through the loss of air at the valvevent 19 in the disconnected coupling-head at the forward end of the rear detached section of the train would at once bring about a gradual application of the brakes in this rear part of the air-brake system. Thus the rear detached portion of the train would have its forward movement gradually arrested without any opportunity ofgathering such headway or momentum, on a downgrade, for in- -out the train-pipes.

stance, as might result in a collision with the forward section of the train.

The capacity of the vent 19 in the valve 8 is so restricted that the air is not allowed to escape with great rapidity or force and therefore the loss of air-pressure in the rear detached section of the air-brake system will be so gradual that the brakes will be applied without violent shock or such suddenness as might cause derailment of the detached cars or other injury.

As it may be sometimes necessary to con- .nect with an ordinary coupling-head having no valve, it is preferable to provide means for locking back the valve 8 from its seat, so that a' free air-passage will be afforded throughis provided on the peripheral portion of the valve-body a segmental locking projection 20, adapted to engage in or interlock with a groove or recess 21 in the inner side of one of the guide-ribs 17 when the unseated valve is partly turned to bring it into proper position. There are stop-ledges 22 on the inner sides of the several ribs or bars 17, so located as to limit the movement of the valve when pushed back from its seat, and while at the limit of its movement in this direction the valve may be partly turned by pressure applied to the-sidesof the wings 18 with a spanner or suitable key, so as to cause the looking projection 20 to enter the recess 21 and thus hold the valve away from its seat until released. A notch 23 in the edge of the locking projection 20 will engage a spring-arm 24, that serves to hold the locked back valve, Fig. 1, in position against displacement by shock or jar. A key, spanner, or the like applied to the valve-wings 18 will readily look back or release the valve, as may be required. The locking projection 20 is so thickened as to be iii-effect a weight that will normally assume a downward position by partial rotation of the unlocked valve, thus avoiding any liability of accidental interlocking with the recess 21, which is in an uppermost portion of the valve guide-frame. A segmental recess 25 is preferably provided in the annulus 19 at the end of the valve guide-frame to register with the segmental locking projection 20 and thus facilitate the placing of the valve in the guide -frame. After the valve 8 is placed in its guide-frame 7 and inserted therewith into the couplinghead 1, through its opening 6, the latter is closed by a cap or cover 26, screwed into said opening'or otherwise fastened in place.

The arrangement of the valves a so that they shall close instantly on disconnectionof the hose-coupling heads will prevent any sudden and rapid loss of air-pressure that might result in injury to the brake appliances, while the venting of the valves, as described, permits only such a gradual yet sufficient escape of air as is necessary to insure a proper and safe putting on of the brakes in For this purpose there the rear detached portion -of the air-brake system, whereas in the forward portion the pressure is maintained by action of the pump and all risk of collision between the cars is avoided.

WVhat we claim as our invention is 1. The combination with an air-brake hosecoupling, of a spring-seated valve, said valve being mounted in a guide-frame, one end of which is formed with an annulus formed with a lug to be locked in a corresponding recess of the coupling-head to prevent its turning and adapted to control an air-passage in said coupling and provided with a vent-opening through the valve-body and having wings or projections to take the pressure of similar wings on the corresponding valve of another coupling part or head whereby the valves are held open while the two coupling-heads are in connection with each other but will close or seat on disconnection of the couplingheads, whereupon the vent-opening in the valve will permit a gradual loss of air sufficient to cause the brakes to be applied in the detached portion of the air-brake system without shock, while the pressure may be maintained in the main portion of the system by the action of the pump, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in the coupling-head of an air-brake system, of avalve adapted to control an air-passage in said coupling, the said valve being provided with a vent-opening and having a locking projection on the periphery of the body of the valve, a valve guide-frame having a recess on the inner side of one of the guide-ribs to engage the said locking projection when the valve is unseated and partly turned, and a spring to seat the valve when unlocked, the valves of two connected coupling-heads being adapted to exert a pressure on each other that will hold said valves open while the said coupling-heads are connected, and the said valves being forced to their seats under action of their springs a disk 13 at the other end and comprising ribs 17 one of which is provided with a recess 21, the valve 8 having the vent-opening 19 and provided with stem 14 and wings 18 and locking projection 20 to engage the recess 21,

the valve-spring and the cap 26, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the coupling-head 1 provided with openings 3 and 6 and having an internal flange 12 provided with recess 11, the valve guide-frame 7 having a lug 10 to engage the recess 11 to prevent said frame from turning, the said frame being provided with a recess 21 and a spring-arm 24, the valve 8 having a vent-opening 19 and provided with a locking projection 20 with a notch 23 therein, the valve-spring 15, and the cap 26, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES R. BRAGG. JAMES M. MOYERS. Witnesses: V

H. H. CHALKLEY, ALFRED S. CORY. 

